Specifically, we have to contact a number of Japanese people who are known only by their nicks, so someone who knows that community well AND can explain the new licence (understands the principles of Free software).

Plus the same for German... especially MHz's beautiful buildings would be a shame to lose

At the moment I'd define myself as Jack-of-all-trades - I just do whatever catches my interest for now.

Although I'd generally agree to take on a more specified job, the problem with putting me into a stricter scheme is, that I don't know how much time I can (and to be honest: also want) to put into this, since I have a couple of projects of my own as well - and there I am all alone to do the work.

But from the listed items I'd be interested in helping (but not doing it all alone!) with both balancing issues.

And without wanting to command anybody, but I think it would be best if the official pak-maintainer (=VS) would contact the copyright holders - unless it is not possible for some reason. BTW are we talking about putting it all under artistic license so it can become open-source like pak64, or what is that needed for?

EDIT: @zeno:I'm quite sure we'd find good use for your planes. IMO it would be great to have a big collection of different models, all more or less to scale and in the same style... a fleet of Airbus, Boeing... and maybe a couple other widely spread models?replied in the other thread.

@VS: I have asked yoshi in the past to do right that for me - but as far as I understood there is no real organized Japanese community, so some people ar hard (or impossible) to contact. German shouldn't be such a problem with this group here...

Yes, 128 will become Open/Free as well. I have already contacted a number of people - see document license-state.ods in svn. Currently I am convincing Isaac And I should also catch Sergey (Sergiu?) while he's around.

"Jack of all trades" ("master of none" ) would also fit me. I don't know yet how much time and ability I will be able to put into this, but I can work on balancing.

Where can I read about the current scheme for balancing in the pak set? For wagons and trailers, I think that the profit contribution per ton and kilometer (depends on convoy's maximum speed and the date for speed bonus) is a good approach to allow easy comparison.

The current scheme is based on a very complex excel sheet from napik doing a load of calculations on entering/changing values, and after that, one is required to tun a macro that does even more calculations.

I hope we can get that system simplified a bit with the new speed bonus table.

- start a game in the year you want to balance vehicle for (usually in the middle of the time period where that vehicle is available)- use shift+g look up the revenues per km for the correct speed and appropriate goods for the convoy- take a proportion of this number to be the total running cost for the convoy (e.g. 0.35*revenue/km, more or less depending on how profitable you want the vehicle to be)- divide this up between vehicles in the convoy if necessary. We typically went for 80% on the loco and 20% between all of the wagons.

This will guarantee that a sensible length convoy is profitable at a sensible year for that convoy and the train is over half full (and also has benefits e.g. express trains are only profitable if they are long enough and full enough)

If you are still looking for industry / vehicle graphics, feel free to use the ones I have made for PakBritain. They are open source after all (some are already on sourceforge, others will go on soon).

Not active? I'm on the forum almost every day, but I don't remember anyone asking me to do anything...

But you're right, I'm keeping a low profile, since I don't really have much time for simutrans and haven't been working on it for many months. But I am still around, so if any problem comes up, the team can always ask me - worst thing that can happen is, I say "sorry, not now".

I'm not so sure about tracks and roads. I like their looks, don't worry, but I think it might be a few too many different types and speeds and eras, although I have never actually played with them yet, just a gut feeling.

As I said, I am not really deeply into simutrans as of now, but I'm still around, just to keep in touch.